Safe And Sound
by ivalice-tifalucis
Summary: Title taken from ACC ending song, Safe And Sound. "I can't afford to lose you, or kids...," he whispered into her lips. She touched his face, "No. You won't lose us. Everything is going to be all right, Cloud." Chapter 4 revised!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, I wrote Cloti now. They are favorite pairing. So, this story happen in DoC. I wondered what could possibly happen to them since they're not main character of the game. I was planning to make it one-shot but since it's interesting to be longer I will create this continuation. And, I warned you the characters will probably a bit OOC or sort of..haha...okay, please enjoy.."

And not forgot to tell, since I can't find beta reader yet, there will be a bit or major grammar error.

Okay, now enjoy (I said for real now..)

Disclaimer: I never ever gonna own Final Fantasy VII, only Square Enix does...

Tifa, I gotta go."

"Yeah. Be safe, and please get home quickly. I'm worrying, you know?"

"I know. Edge now isn't safe. If anything happen just calls me, okay? Denzel, Marlene?" those two rascals nodded.

It's been a year now since the tragedy that shock a new build city called Edge. At that time, our hero once again saved the planet. They're still live in Edge at Seventh Heaven bar. With two orphaned and they newborn son.

But recently, the city once again is shocking by faint voice of hundreds of people's scream every night follow by missing people who was the victim of geostigma a year ago.

Cloud Strife doesn't want to leave his family all by themselves but he has delivery to do. And more important, he needs to talk to WRO Director, Reeve Tuesti about this shocking tragedy that now is happening in Edge.

The night is like hell to her, to her little family, and to all the citizens of Edge. Again and again those faint scream was heard. She made the arrangement to make all of her children sleep in her bedroom with her and her husband. But since her husband isn't here now, she can't sleep. She's hearing the scream and knows very well, her adopted son, who was one of the victims of geostigma is in grave danger. In midnight, her eyelids become very heavy yet she still can't sleep. She decides to find some company by calling her husband. She grabs her PHS and dials him. In only one ring, the phone was answered, something which is rare to happen by her husband. _He must be really worried, _she thought.

"Tifa!"

"Cloud!"

"What's wrong? Is something happened?" he asked with worried tone.

"No, I just- I can't sleep. I feel worry especially to Denzel, and you too..."

"I know. I'm sorry I have to leave you in this mess. I'll be home tomorrow, okay?" his wife nodded.

"Yeah. We're waiting for you."

"Are the scream-"

"It was heard again. That's why I worried, you know?"

"Hmm... don't worry, _dear_. I'm okay out here. You know if they're coming I can slice them all," he joked to ease her worry.

"How if they're coming not only with just 5 or 10 instead a WHOLE army, you can't handle them all!" she almost screamed.

"Tifa… I really don't want to make you worry but, please… sleep. I'll be there by the morning okay?"

"Okay. Bye"

"Bye, Teef." She hanged up the phone and decided to sleep.

In the next morning, things go by likewise though the tense of scariness and worry are still there. Tifa waken up Denzel and Marlene, cooked the breakfast and done all of morning chores. After that, she took Zack, her son bath and given him breakfast, things gone normal.

Until midday, her worries proof to be happen.

It's 12 o'clock. She's cleaning the bar when a massive explosion heard outside. Notice that, she orders her children to hide.

"Denzel! Marlene! Hide! Quick!" two children hide in the cupboard; keep themselves as quite as possible.

Tifa's running to upstairs to take Zack when someone break her front door. A tall red hair woman in sexy custom uniform with long red fur tunic at her back and long blade shows up. Tifa put her gloves on and stand in fighting stance.

"Where are they?" the woman speaks with Russian accent.

"They are nobody here. Leave this place!"

"I'm afraid I can't. I can sense the presence of someone, precisely a child who infused by mako and, the victim of geostigma."

Suddenly, a man with helmet and uniform is coming from upstairs holding a bundle in his arms.

"Zack!" 3 months old Zack is crying.

"I see, you got a mako infused child. The son of one of project S experiment," the man gives little Zack to the woman.

"Look at those bright blue eyes. One day he will be one of us," the woman looks Zack in the eye as his cry grows louder.

"Zack, don't cry baby, mommy's here," Tifa tried to ease her son cry with no avail.

"Where's the geostigma victim-"

"I won't tell you. I seek him refugee, you won't find him," she cut of.

"Where is _he_? I can tell that you know where, Tifa Strife."

Tifa growled, "Over my dead body you bitch!" She assaults the woman with careful to her son in the woman's hand but the woman dodge her and tries to cut her with her blade but Tifa manages to dodge it. The woman jumps and assaults her and Tifa rolls to avoid it but she failed and the blade cut her left arm. She hissed by the pain. She punches her right in her face and throws her right to the floor, makes the woman drops her 3 months old baby and lets him slides on the wooden floor.

"Oh god, Zack!" Tifa tried to get his son when the woman punches her and kicks her stomach, makes her weak and hurting on the floor.

"You're dead, Tifa Strife," the woman runs her blade over Tifa's cheek to her throat, ready to slice it off.

Before she does that, a small blade come through and cut her body. She gets up and left Tifa's half conscious body. She smiles when she saw who's coming.

"Leave them alone," Cloud spoke with slow and husky voice.

"Cloud Strife, I'm waiting for you, you know? I was trying to get your beautiful son but she stops me, well, you see… I just taught her a lesson."

"You're crazy, Rosso! Leave my family! They don't deserve to be like you!" he growled. Rosso startled at his words.

"I know you, Rosso. You're one of the Tsviets. You grounded for all of your life and become_ their _experiment. Made you nothing more than a monster," Cloud's words made her furious and screamed with anger. She steadied her blade and readied herself to attack Cloud until the sounds of her PHS stops her.

"Son of a-"she received the call.

"Rosso The Crimson, our mission was completed. You may go back to the base," the stoic girl voice ordered her from the phone.

"But, Shelke-"

"Weiss said not to take any chance that would fail our mission," she cut her of.

"Shit, okay. I received your order," Rosso shut her PHS.

"I guess I'll see you soon, Strife," she jumped out to the window and disappeared.

Cloud takes his son and holds him before he runs to _his Tifa_ to check any injuries she may has.

"Cloud," she whispered.

"Tifa, it's okay. I got you," he assured her, "Where are the kids?"

"They're hiding."

"Denzel, Marlene, you may come out. It's safe now," the children came out from there hide place and approach their parents.

"Cloud! You came! You saved us!"

Cloud nodded, "Okay, I know they're gone now but it's still dangerous around here, pack your things kids, we evacuate now."

Cloud cast curaga to heal Tifa's wounds and prepare to leave Edge. He also checked Zack for any possible injuries after he heard about the impact that just happen to his son in the incident.

"Is he okay, Cloud?" his wife asked him.

:"Yes Tifa, he's okay. I think his mako enhanced body had saved him," he holds his sleeping baby in his arms.

"I never thought he is _their_ target too."

"I guess because he is the only mako infused baby in this planet. We have to seek him refugee, for Denzel and Marlene too."

"We send them to Forgotten City, to Elmyra's. There's a place they probably don't know."

"Okay, we'll drop them before we go to Junon. You and I have to talk to Reeve about this. All AVALANCHE is coming too," she touched his face and made him quite.

"Cloud. Why you let me fight?"

He gives a faint smile, "We were promised right? A year ago,"

She smiles, "Yes. We will fight our battle together, no matter what happen."

"Good, you remembered," he chuckled. Tifa hugs him and their son, "Of course I remembered. That's our promised. And Cloud?"

"Yes, Teef?"

"You fulfilled your _other_ promised too."

"Of course, I'm glad that I am."

Please, wait the continuation..thanks :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: You know? I don't care what people said about how good to be a high school student. In my case, high school is very hard. My senior said: better get the lowest rank than not get into the second year at all! And fyi, I was thinking: you've got to br kidding me. Hey, but I want to be a doctor and that's a path I have to choose. That's my sprit (Ganbatte!). Wish me luck!

And don't worry cause I still update more espcecially this one... I want it badly to make it done! I actually hate hiatus story espscially when it is in climax or on the way to climax, sucks!

Thank you, who ever you are **reader**, for review...

**UPDATED 20/02/10! For noticeable grammar error...**

Disclaimer: still the same, I don't own Final Fantasy VII, Square Enix does...blah blah blah... :P

They're going to Forgotten Capital to drop the children to Elmyra's with Fenrir. Cloud is driving while Denzel is sitting in front of him, Marlene at his back and Tifa is in behind holding baby Zack.

Finally, they arrive at Elmyra's house. Aerith's lovely step-mother greets them with smile. Cloud and Tifa tell her about Deepground invasion. She feels kinda sad, heard about the massacre incident that happen in Gaia again, and god…it's not even a year already!

"And who is this little guy?" Elmyra asked.

A raven bundle in Tifa's arms squirmed, "He's Zack. We told you in our last letter."

"Yeah, I remembered. Can I hold him?"

"Sure," Tifa handed over Zack to Elmyra. She was first afraid that her son would cry but it seems he enjoyed sleep in Elmyra's arms. Tifa smiled and felt glad about that. At least she knew her son would hopefully well while she leaves him.

"Elmyra…," Cloud started, "…the reason why we're coming here, we want to make sure the kids will safe and sound while we fight against Deepground and we knew this is the only place they probably don't know it's exist. So, we want to seek them refugees in here as the safest place we ever knew," the sounds of children laugh heard from the outside.

"Cloud, Tifa. I'm happy that you make this decision. You already let go of your own burden and do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love whom you still have them now. Especially you, Cloud… You finally let go of _her _death completely," though not their own mother, like her step-daughter, she's like mother figure to them.

"Yes," Cloud nodded. Zack made a 'goo' sound, Elmyra smiled at the sight of it.

"So, when will you leave?" she finally asked.

"We will leave this afternoon, as fast as we could. Reeve will inform us if anything happen" Cloud replied.

"Okay then. Once again, I only can wish you luck and safe," Elmyra said.

"It's okay Elmyra. You'd done many things for us," Tifa said.

At the end of the morning, Tifa is giving all of children clothes and baby stuff and message to Elmyra what they can eat, what they can't, what they can do, what they can't, what they have to do with all of their stuff, their chores, and sort of. She's also telling her about Zack's stuff which makes Elmyra giggles, thinks about take cares of little baby that she doesn't for a quite long time.

Tifa holds Zack. Her mind is thinking about a thousand chances that she probably won't see her son's face again. Deeply in her mother heart, she doesn't want to leave her son.

"Zack," she whispered to her 3 months old son, "…mommy have to go for a while. So you have to stay here with Denzel and Marlene, okay?" she kissed her son's temple and tried hold her tear. Her husband watched her from behind.

"Be a good boy," she whispered to Zack's ear.

Cloud took Zack from Tifa's arms and kissed his temple too. He smiled to his son before gave him back to Tifa who gave him to Elmyra.

"Kids, be nice to Elmyra! We'll buy lots of ice cream when we back," Tifa said.

"Yes Tifa! We will wait for you!" Marlene said.

"We promised to be a good kid. We won't make any trouble," Denzel said.

"We will help Elmyra take care of Zack too," Marlene said in her soft innocence voice.

Tifa and Cloud hugs the children.

"Thank you, Denzel…Marlene…"

They are continuing their journey to re-built city of Junon, not far from Midgar too. In fact, it's exactly next to Edge.

When they arrived all they saw is dead city. People still terrified about Deepground though they have WRO to protect them. They are leaving their home to safer place as they think.

They don't need a long time to finally reach WRO headquarter. The place is big, though not big as Shinra was. Reeve built it 3 years ago to help people and made redemption to all of his sin. He was one of the Shinra Electric Company employees. He left his mother, the only family he had to become a part of the company that many people hate because what it had done with the planet, sucked the lifestream.

Reeve assist with Dr. Shalua. She used to be one of the Shinra's scientists too. She stopped working with Shinra since her 9 years old sister disappeared a long time ago and she ought to find her, ought until she left her job. In her journey, she seemed to lost her left eye, and one of her arm. She already gone through many things that we can't ever imagine.

"Welcome, Cloud. Tifa," Reeve greeted them.

"Reeve..." Cloud shacked Reeve's hand, "...what's the status?"

"We already contact others AVALANCHE member. We tracked their base. And we got information from our intelligent that their base is located under Midgar?"

"In Midgar?" Cloud puzzled.

"No. _Under_ Midgar," Reeve repeated slowly, "we had sent Vincent to Nibelheim, assumed some information we could find there."

Cloud nodded. '_Nibelheim...'_

'_Hey Cloud, wanna play with me?'_

'_Promise me, you'll save me when I'm in danger...'_

'_Cloud, you came'_

_Nibelheim,_ thousands of memories flash back into his mind.

"Cloud?" a familiar feminine voice awaked him from his thoughts.

"Nibelheim. Last time we visited it's very different now," Cloud said, "other information, Reeve?"

"I guess that's all I can give to you for a while. Your friend will come at tomorrow morning. I also prepared a room for both of you."

"Thank you, Reeve," Tifa said her thanks with sweet smile.

"Thanks Reeve. We appreciated your every help," Cloud said before they left their place to their room inside headquarters.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi, everyone. Finally, I decided to post this chapter. And it's not hot from oven because I finishied it about a week ago...trying to find...well..better not say anything and to no avail. So, I can't stand with lack of update so I really have this urge to posted it...

Anyway, I gave it some spice of citrus (kinda) yeah...is it too graphic to call it citrus, or too blurry to call it lime? I am 15 years old who can write lemon actually, but I just don't have a mood to do that. Maybe not now, maybe later...

some words in _italics_ are thoghts, mostly Cloud... (just like in previous chapter).

Disclaimer: always and always... Square Enix...

It's night already. One of WRO agents leads Cloud and Tifa to their room, a private WRO apartment near headquarters in Junon. They'll stay here until things get clear.

They take a bath and share some intimate moments. Cloud touches his wife deliberately soft, afraid he will harm her. After everything that happened to him, to her, and to their children. He can't think about lose all of one he loves just like what happen before...

Aerith...Zack...

They are a people he loved and their both dead by now. He once thought maybe this is his entire fault but then...

"Cloud?" his thought was disturbed by lips on his neck.

"Hmm?" his eyes met a pair of burgundy eyes. His movement made her moaned.

"You seem disturbed a while ago...ngh," she whimpered.

"I was thinking...," he licked her body and made her sighed his name.

"What was that?" they're kissing passionately.

"I can't afford to lose you, or kids...," he whispered into her lips. She touched his face, "No. You won't lose us. Everything is going to be all right, Cloud."

"Tifa...," he cradled his wife, caressed her softly.

And then, all things they think, they feel is how their limbs intertwine, how their lips and skin meet, and they're moaning, sighing each other name until finished.

Tifa opens her eyes when the sun coming through the windows. Despite all of this chaos, the healing planet shows its glory. She thinks that's the most beautiful sunrise she ever seen in her life. And it reminds her of beautiful childhood memories. She moved to see the sun when realizes her body is tangling with her husband's.

She drops her body back to rustled bed, know its useless try to entangle her body from her husband's hold. And yes, she tried to complete that task a lot of times which none of them succeed. So, she looks around the room, find a clock shows 9.30 am. It's almost past morning.

"Cloud?" she called a figure behind her.

"Hmm," she felt a press of his lips to back of her neck.

"Hey, it's late now."

"I know, _my dear_," she felt the slid of his hands from her body to her thighs.

"Cloud... Reeve will call us anytime soon," she said that when her husband start kissing her neck to her shoulder blade.

"Then don't answer him," his voice was muffled against her skin. Tifa rolled her body to face Cloud.

"Cloud," her tone was demanding.

"Tifa...," he pouted and made him looked like puppy. Tifa chuckled.

"You know, you're so cute when you do that," she smiled. Cloud thought his strategy moves will work, "but no, get up lazy!"

_Oh, damn..._

10.00 AM

The sound of knocked door was heard and it makes them stop. I'm sure you can guess they stop from _what._ Cloud dresses quickly and opens the door.

"Mr. Strife?" one of WRO officer showed behind the door.

"Yes?"

"Director Reeve asked you to meet him at his office at 12."

"Okay, tell him I'll be right there."

"Yes sir," a WRO officer left immediately.

"Who is it?" Tifa asked Cloud from behind.

"No. Just Reeve's hand told me to meet him this afternoon," he turned back to face his wife.

"Oh," she mumbled.

"Yes," he circled his hands around her waist and kissed her tenderly.

"Hmm...," she touched his cheek and deepened their kiss.

Somehow he feels worry he maybe will late to the meeting. And in the middle of this mess he glades he still feel content at the present of his beloved ones.

If he still burdens himself, maybe he won't be here. Maybe he won't be here, touches his childhood friend who is now his wife too. Maybe Zack will never born and resemble his namesake, black hair (and seems going to be spiky) and blue eyes.

Maybe he won't save Tifa like he did yesterday...

Maybe he won't stand in the altar, say his vows, and slip that ring to her fingers...

Maybe the kids will leave without him, because he doesn't there...

But now it doesn't matter for him. There is no burden inside him, not anymore. And so, he is happy though the world is back in chaos.

_As long as they're safe...as long as I still have them..._

After their _morning excitement_, they have very late breakfast-lunch and go straight to Reeve's office. When they come, Cloud surprised they don't late..._well,_ just 5 minutes, but still...

"Good afternoon, Cloud. Tifa," Reeve greeted them.

"Good afternoon too, Reeve," said Tifa with her generous smile. Her husband beside her only mumbling "Hi" and nodding.

"TIFAA!" someone shouted her name from the door

"YUFFIE!" Yuffie jumped and hugged her. The rest of the gang entered the office.

"Howdy, Spiky!" Barret slapped Cloud's shoulder which made him jumped.

"Hey Barret...," Cloud murmured.

"Reeve, where's Vinnie?" asked Yuffie.

"He's currently in Nibelheim, Yuffie," Reeve answered.

Yuffie sighed, "Okay, tell me if he needs help. He sometimes could be a bad ass too you know..."

"Of course," said Reeve.

"So Reeve, if ya really bother to call all of us, ya gotta tell me what's the status," said Cid.

And so, all of the AVALANCHE member ha ve finally gathered. Soon they wil face their own battle...once again...

I know you're there buddy. I never beg to you before but I just wish if you could leave me some review? Please...*sweet kitty eyes


	4. Chapter 4

The reunion...since the second defeated of Sephiroth and remnants, AVALANCHE had separated once again. Cid needed to go back to his wife, Shera, Yuffie to Wutai, Vincent...he didn't leave actually, just wandering around the town, buy a phone though he doesn't really know how to use it but it happen to be handy at time. Barret left Marlene again, he just found new oil rigs and make a lot of money from it. And so, only Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel left...at that _time_. And then Zack was born. It changed _everything_.

They actually rendezvous again, a month after when Cloud and Tifa marriage, but that's just that. They really feel need to atone their _sins._

And now, in WRO headquarter, they finally meet again, together on the way to their big mission (not their biggest actually). But still, Vincent isn't here. He's in Nibelheim now. And that's what makes this gathering incomplete.

"So, how's Zack now?" Yuffie asked Tifa.

"He's fine. He's getting cuter and cuter," Tifa said with bright smile as it's the most beautiful thing she has in her life.

"Oh...I can't wait to see lil' Zack again after the battle is over," cried Yuffie.

"Yes. I missed him already, Marlene and Denzel too...," mumbled Tifa.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll see them again, right?" Yuffie asked with her signature smiling face. Tifa nodded.

_Yes, we will..._

The following day had been quite harsh. Deepground attacked everywhere and AVALANCHE had to stop them. Once they reached Gongaga, Cloud remembered Zack's parents (the 'Fair' one) were there and he helped them escape before Deepground invaded the village. Zack's parents apparently still remember Cloud. They asked about his brown ribbon-haired girl friend and he answered she's not his girlfriend in fact, she's _their son_ girlfriend and with a bit lumped on his throat he also said _she's dead_ too. It seems Zack's parents couldn't believe _Aerith_ was and is their son's girlfriend. They remembered how their pursue him to get a wife; he's got a very beautiful girl. They didn't believe either when Cloud finally admitted that Zack has died too, 5 years ago. Some side is good news, others bad one.

Not for long, Reeve sent Yuffie to Nibelheim. He said that Vincent is in trouble. He's in one place called Shinra Manor or Mansion when one of the Tsviet confronted him and defeated him. Now everything is clear that they're trying to get _protomateria_ and Vincent _had_ it inside his chest. Cloud cringed when he heard the Tsviet who almost kill Vincent...

_Rosso the Crimson._

"Tifa!" Marlene's voice yelled from the phone, "We missed you..."

"We missed you too... Where's Denzel?"

"I'm here, Tifa!" Denzel's voice shouted faintly from the phone.

"Hi, guys. Are you being nice there?"

"Yes. Of course we are, Tifa!"

"Good. How's Zack?"

"He's asleep now with Elmyra."

"Can I talk to her, Marlene?"

"Sure Tifa," faint yelling sound of 'Elmyra! Tifa's calling!' was heard.

It took a long time before Elmyra take the phone, "Hello, Tifa!"

"Hi. Sorry for bothering you, Elmyra."

"It's okay Tifa."

"The kids are being nice, right?"

"Yes they are. They are lovely children."

Tifa smiled, "How's Zack, Elmyra?"

"He's fine, Tifa. He's rarely crying."

"Really? That's good."

"Don't worry, Tifa. They're all nice here. They're waiting for you."

"I know, Elmyra. Tell them, I'll be back soon..."

"Of course, Tifa"

Cloud opened the door and entered his room, exhausted by all of those meeting and destroys Deepground when he hears Tifa is speaking on the PHS.

"Okay. Yeah. Thanks a lot," Tifa pressed disconnect button.

"Who's on the phone, Tifa?" his voice quite startled her.

"Cloud. No, it's just Elmyra. I asked her about the children. They miss us, a lot."

"Oh," he mumbled.

"I wish to see them again, Cloud," she whispered.

"Of course, we'll see them again Tifa," Cloud assured her.

"I just... I just feel that maybe we won't," her voice seemed fade away at the last word but Cloud enhanced ability managed to heard it.

"Yes we will Tifa. We had gone through many battles. I am sure we will survive this one," Cloud holds her from behind, try to soothe her worry.

"_We will..."_

"_I hope so."_

The next day at Cid's Shera Ship.

All of AVALANCHE member is now on board. They're tracking the presence of Deepground now. Yuffie is now back. She said something about Vincent was almost killed by _that_ Tsviet and how different Nibelheim is now.

The mission will need a couple of days, assumed until all of Deepground is capture and kill so they move in the ship. They also introduced by Reeve to little girl named Shelke. They furious at the beginning, notice she's wearing Deepground uniform. Reeve confirmed the truth that she was a Tsviet but now she's an ally and she will assist everyone on mission.

Reeve also said she is Dr. Shalua Rui long lost sister. They actually didn't believe either at first knowing the story Shalua told that her sister lost for 10 years but she looks like 9 years old little girl. But then, they know that every Deepground member is a part of Shinra experiments, maybe one of experiments which Shinra had done to her result the stoic growth of her body. Shelke installed her SND, what she called as Synaptic Net Dive; allow her to dive through analog signal such as telephone and free access to internet using her mind in her room now. She said she's contacting Vincent and support from SND.

Cloud walks to main deck when one of WRO guard who assist in Shera to help Cid control the ship stops him.

"What's wrong," Cloud asked the guard in monotone.

"Sorry sir, Mr. Tuesti and Mr. Valentine are inside with Mr. Highwind to give some assignment. I'm sorry to interrupt you but since you're late to enter the main deck you can't enter there until the assignment meeting is complete," the guard said.

"Damn, ok... It's okay anyway. I just go back to my room," he turned back and saw his wife came.

"Cloud, what's wrong? Why don't you go inside?" Tifa asked Cloud curiously.

"We're not allowed to go inside until the meeting is complete."

"Oh..." she mumbled.

"Let's go back to the room, shall we?" he winked playfully.

"Cloud," she smacked her husband's shoulder.

"Ouw...that hurts!" he rubbed his shoulder with giggle in his face.

"Sorry," she said with playfully tone.

On the way to their room, they past a certain room, it's Shelke's and it's a bit open. Tifa decided to take a look. She opens the door.

Inside is Shelke in her SND visor helmet. Beside her is her peacefully sleep sister inside a tube filled with mako. Reeve and Shelke said that Shalua has a little chance to wake again. This appears to be a reason why Shelke_ betrayed_ her comrades and become an ally to WRO. Because the _'death' _of her sister all caused by her. It all happened when Deepground attacked WRO base, just a day before Cloud and Tifa arrived there.

"Shelke?" Tifa asked while peek her head from the door.

"Yes, Tifa Strife and Cloud Strife. You can come in," Shelke responded with monotone just like her like. In time when she's in Deepground, she seems to lose all of her emotions.

Tifa enters the room follow by Cloud. Somehow there is an awkward tense inside the room. Consider Shelke is stoic and somehow almost dislike talking, in case worst than the _old_ Cloud.

"Hello...Shelke," Tifa laughed nervously.

"Good afternoon, Tifa Strife," Shelke responded in monotone. Cloud is standing beside her.

"Ngg...I just sit here, okay," she nervously sat in the small bed/cot (anything you like) behind her. Cloud only rolled his eyes and smiled a bit.

1 minute. 2 minutes. 5 minutes.

Tifa decided with awkward question, "Hey, I wonder what are you wearing...kinda, creepy...," Cloud just rolled his eyes.

"My visor helmet is called Synaptic Net Dive, you may call it SND as well," Shelke answered in her signature stoic voice.

"Oh," Tifa mumbled awkwardly which makes Cloud giggles.

"I wonder how your sister is," Tifa said almost mumbled when she saw Shalua's body inside the tube.

"She's okay for now, although she may never wake up. But then, I want to see her again so I don't want to let her go," her stoic voice almost cracked, "I'm sorry," she bowed her shielded head.

"It's okay. I know your sister. She's a very brave woman. She said she quitted from Shinra only to find you. She lost everything she had but she never gives up, not ever," Tifa said with her cheerful tone.

"Yes, I know. Since our parents were died, she always protected me. Sometimes I thought she's too much. But, when she's gone, started to work for Shinra, I find myself alone and I realised how much I need her," Tifa saw a bit of tears leaking from Shelke's helmet.

After a long awkward moment, finally Tifa decided to talk, "Eh...Shelke, you know if this battle is over, where you are going to stay?"

"I won't stay anywhere," Shelke blurted.

"But you need a place to stay."

Suddenly, Cloud speaks, "How about you stay in our house?"

Tifa look at Cloud and Cloud nod in assure.

"Yes, we have children there. They could be your friend and you could fulfill your childhood memories there and lots of good memories. I'm sure you'll feel more human again," Tifa said.

"But-" Shelke tried to cut off.

"We'll talk about this to Reeve later," Cloud said.

"Yes, how's that?" Tifa said.

"Alright. Thank you very much for your offer. I will think about that. Now if you excuse me..."

"Okay, we're leaving now," Tifa and Cloud left the room and closed the door, leaving Shelke and her sister's body alone again.

And again. She. Alone in her cold room. With her sister that'll never wake up. She, for once again remember lots of her happy memories of her and her sister's. Shelke whispered in her heart and shed a bit of tears.

_I'm sorry, sister..._


End file.
